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A Guatemalan family walks past posters of the presidential campaign in Chinautla, a suburb of Guatemala City, on August 9, 2019. REUTERS / Jose Cabezas

More than 8 million Guatemalans are expected to choose their president this Sunday, August 11, 2019. Two candidates clash: the Social Democrat Sandra Torres and the conservative Alejandro Giammattei. The challenges of the new president are immense. The country is plagued by corruption, violence and poverty.

Guatemala's economic and social situation is worrying. Despite growth that exceeds 3% of GDP this year, Central America's leading economy still fails to reduce inequality.

Nearly 60% of the population lives below the poverty line. This forces many Guatemalans to take the road to the United States to escape the misery and gang violence . Because in Guatemala the homicide rate is one of the highest in the world for multiple reasons: organized crime, drug trafficking, impunity and corruption.

Yet the country is rich in mining, agricultural, tourism and water resources. But the state coffers are characterized by a structural lack of tax revenue. The tax burden in Guatemala is one of the lowest in the world and the informal sector is very important.

Almost two-thirds of the labor force work in the informal economy. This deprives the state of resources for investment and public spending needed to fight poverty.

► To read also: Presidential in Guatemala: who of the two eternal candidates will prevail?